Okla. City's first all-age day care opens this month

Posted: Sunday, August 11, 2002

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - A day care center opening this month will be Oklahoma City's first that offers services for both children and senior citizens, an official said.

The center will eventually have room for 150 children and 50 adults, said Easter Seals Adult Day Care Center Director Deanna Pendleton. About 30 adults at an existing center will transfer when the new building opens Aug. 26 at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.

"These days, a lot of children don't have access to their grandparents," Pendleton said. "Likewise, many grandparents live here but are far away from their grandchildren and great-grandchildren."

Children and adult clients will stay in separate parts of the building but will get together for activities such as games or garden planting. Older residents will also have a chance to tutor the children or read to them.

"Our day will be full," Pendleton said. "We don't want a lot of time wasted sitting around and watching television. We want people interacting."

She said only a few centers like this one are operating around the nation.